Hygrometer shows 99%

mozkaynak · Oct 10, 2009

Hello,
I keep my B. vagans in a shoebox. I placed a hygrometer in the enclosure today first time and it measures the humidity 99%. I never mist the pete moss in the enclosure but do make sure that there is water in a little plastic cup. I know that the ideal humidity for B. vagans is 65-75% and I am concerned about the extreme humidity. it does not actually make sense given that the humidity at home about 50%.
Any suggestions??? Thanks in advance

JimM · Oct 10, 2009

Throw your hygrometer away, this is a simple hobby and you don't need to complicate it by getting all the dither about exact humidity readings.

Spray half the enclosure down once a week or so, ventilate a little more if you feel you need to, and be done with it.

I've kept all sorts of snakes, lizards and tarantulas over the last 25 years that require a fair amount of humidity, and I've never touched or hygrometer...ever.

Stopdroproll · Oct 10, 2009

I wouldn't worry about humidity too much. Agree with JimM.

jayefbe · Oct 10, 2009

Your hygrometer is broken. 99% would mean that the air was saturated with water. That'd be really difficult to do even if you were trying.

Julia · Oct 10, 2009

Unrelated question.... You keep your tarantula in a shoebox?? I'm hoping you're talking about one of those plastic shoe-sized containers and not an actual cardboard shoebox with a cardboard lid that just sits on top. Tarantulas are too good of escape artists to be kept in containers with unsecured lids, my friend!

Stopdroproll · Oct 10, 2009

Pretty sure he means the plastic ones. Who would want to not see their Ts lol.

Bill S · Oct 10, 2009

Hygrometers are often inaccurate. I've used both the soil types and the atmospheric types and have little faith in either. (Although the atmospheric types seemed a little less useless.)

Watch for condensation on the sides of your container. If you are really running 99% humidity, you'll have plenty of condensation on the sides in the mornings. If you are getting condensation, provide more ventilation.

xhexdx · Oct 10, 2009

SDR said:
Pretty sure he means the plastic ones. Who would want to not see their Ts lol.

Someone keeping haplos?

Julia · Oct 10, 2009

SDR said:
Pretty sure he means the plastic ones. Who would want to not see their Ts lol.

Yeah, I know. I just honestly got a picture in my mind of the little boy who keeps his newly captured pet frog in a shoebox and tries to sneak it in the house past Mom, but then it ribbits and escapes the shoebox and.... Nevermind.

Stopdroproll · Oct 10, 2009

xhexdx said:
Someone keeping haplos?

Lol, well played.

Aschamne · Oct 10, 2009

xhexdx said:
Someone keeping haplos?

Why, I see my haplos at least every other day? Its one of my OBTs that I never see.

Art

Fran · Oct 10, 2009

If you get an expensive hygrometer,(Not in pet sotres) obviously the readings will be more accurately.

I still dont understand whats the problem with keeping good hygrometers.
Is not complicating your life at all, is just providing a better yet conditions.
:?

JimM · Oct 10, 2009

Fran said:
If you get an expensive hygrometer,(Not in pet sotres) obviously the readings will be more accurately.

I still dont understand whats the problem with keeping good hygrometers.
Is not complicating your life at all, is just providing a better yet conditions.
:?

It's not a problem if you enjoy it, it's just a bit OCD and completely unnecessary. You certainly are not providing "better" conditions. These animals for the most part thrive within a fairly wide range of temperatures and humidity conditions, completely negating the need for a hygrometer.

xhexdx · Oct 10, 2009

Aschamne said:
Why, I see my haplos at least every other day? Its one of my OBTs that I never see.

Art

I see my OBTs all the time.

Do you have your haplos housed where they can burrow?

Exo · Oct 10, 2009

Fran said:
If you get an expensive hygrometer,(Not in pet sotres) obviously the readings will be more accurately.

I still dont understand whats the problem with keeping good hygrometers.
Is not complicating your life at all, is just providing a better yet conditions.
:?

I never have a problem with thermometers/hygrometers, I have three and they all read the same....which means that they work.

Fran · Oct 10, 2009

JimM said:
It's not a problem if you enjoy it, it's just a bit OCD and completely unnecessary. You certainly are not providing "better" conditions. These animals for the most part thrive within a fairly wide range of temperatures and humidity conditions, completely negating the need for a hygrometer.

At all.

You dont have a hygrometer in your brain, so you can be very well keeping a T Blondi, for example, and you think the enclosure "looks" fine, and then wondering for example why is she so nervous, climbing the glass,irritable...

Completely unnecessary ?Thrive within a failry wide range conditions?
Says who?

The fact tat they dont die instantly when not kept in "optimun" conditions does not mean they are fine, or they are gonna doas well as they would do if we improve the conditions.

Again, what is the OCD and the problem of keeping a fairly good hygrometer ?
Dont see it.

mozkaynak · Oct 10, 2009

Julia said:
Yeah, I know. I just honestly got a picture in my mind of the little boy who keeps his newly captured pet frog in a shoebox and tries to sneak it in the house past Mom, but then it ribbits and escapes the shoebox and.... Nevermind.

This is hilarious. Indeed, I meant plastic boxes.

I believe the hygrometer shows ok, when I place it in the middle of the room. i shows a bit higher than 50% which is expected. when I put it in another cage with much better ventilation. it shows about 62%.
What surprised me here is that I never mist the pete moss in that specific cage.
I replace the water all the time.
I remember that the T tipped over the water cup a few times within 3 weeks. Probably, the pete moss held the whole water in and limited ventilation did not let the humidity go as well.
I will increase ventilation and we will see what happens...

Thank you very much for your insightful inputs...

Fran · Oct 10, 2009

I have been keeping t's for 14 years. Again im not the ultimate expert by any means, but I have kept and sucesfully bred T's for many years.

Theres nothing wrong wit putting a little bit of effort on them. We all know they are easy to keep and less demanding than most of other pets, but I personally think putting a tinny bit of effort will give you better results than giving her a tank, a water dish and a hide.

JimM · Oct 10, 2009

Fran said:
I personally think putting a tinny bit of effort will give you better results than giving her a tank, a water dish and a hide.

Which doesn't necessarily translate into using a hygrometer. I've been doing this for a long time, and my animals get plenty of TLC without getting silly.
If you get some fulfillment out of using one, by all means...

Fran · Oct 10, 2009

JimM said:
Which doesn't necessarily translate into using a hygrometer. I've been doing this for a long time, and my animals get plenty of TLC without getting silly.
If you get some fulfillment out of using one, by all means...

:?

I dont know JimM, I think is just your personal choice not to have hgyrometers,but you shouldnt dissmiss their mission.

Hygrometer shows 99%

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